Operations and Maintenance
See it to believe it
When’s the last time you took your leadership or financial analysts on a tour of your central plant? It can make a difference! Many leadership members and analysts crunch the numbers haven’t seen what serves the hospital and how the equipment can impact the healing...
Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) Hose Connections
Do you have Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) hose connections? If so, listen up! From my experience, these are one of the most frequently incorrectly designed, installed, and tested sprinkler devices. #NFPA25 actually requires a full-flow test from these suckers every...
Class II Standpipe Hose Connection ITM
This video definitely shows my level of Grit! And it also has a blooper in it! Did you know that Class II Standpipe Hose Connections have to be inspected quarterly AND tested annually? In this video we discuss high-level the different Classes of Standpipes and the ITM...
Sprinkler System Air Compressors
Is your sprinkler system air compressor kicking on, or are you getting a lot of low air supervisory signals? Consider a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) strategy. We have replaced or rebuilt this compressor for our cooling tower deluge system 4X in 18-months....
Fire Dampers – ITM
Fire dampers are an essential part of a building's overall fire protection. They are a primary component in passive fire protection to help slow (hopefully stop) the spread of fire. Unfortunately, even though they are an overall simple device with very few components...
2020 Challenge: Be open with kids about their career options
It's 2020. Can we stop over-glorifying college degrees now? Can we please be honest, open, and transparent with the next generation about their career options? College isn't the right path for everyone, and it's not the end-all-be-all solution for success. There are...
Fire Alarm Pull Stations
Fire Alarm Pull Stations - EC.02.03.05 EP 3 We're continuing down our path for EC.02.03.05. We debated not even doing a video on pull stations because they are such simple devices, but they are tested incorrectly so often! Too many times ITM personnel will open the...
Train for Delivery, not just Content
Have you ever explained something to someone and got a blank expression in return? Why was that?? It was probably your delivery style. When you’re able to really connect with someone and unlock their potential, the opportunities are limitless. In #education and...
Now this is how you test duct detectors
Duct detectors are a big passion of mine because they are the most improperly tested fire alarm device based on my experience. To give you an example, I personally went and tested all the dampers and duct detectors in a new hospital 1-year after occupancy. 100% of the...
EC.02.03.05 EP 1 Supervisory Signals
The infamous TJC EC.02.03.05 EP 1!!! This video is all about supervisory signals. Hope it helps clear up some confusion on ITM for supervisory signals!
Fire Pump Drip Rates
I’ve been catching up on questions that have been in my linked-in messages. This one is from a few months back and I responded directly to the individual, but didn’t do a video yet. This hospital’s Accrediting Organization (AO) tried to cite them for having the...
Let’s Get Real
Is your facilities management team prepared to overcome a catastrophic event? No, we’re not talking about disaster recovery here, although focused training to overcome natural disasters is essential. We’re talking about the unforeseen circumstances that can occur...
Total Cost of Ownership Simplified
In any business environment, the term “Total Cost of Ownership” is generally defined as all direct and indirect costs associated with an asset over its entire life cycle – first cost plus the costs of operation. First cost is ALWAYS less than the costs of operation,...
Resource Round-Up: Free and Inexpensive Resources for Energy and Facility Managers
Free stuff can be a fantastic thing. It’s even better when the free stuff is something you can actually use and has value. During a recent exercise to round up free and useful energy management resources for a colleague, I found myself thinking how handy it would be...
Train O&M During Cx
While developing and implementing technical training programs for operations and maintenance (O&M) staff, I’m often asked if it’s possible to combine training typically performed during the commissioning (cx) process with a larger education initiative like an...
ADMINISTRATION
Let’s Get Real
Is your facilities management team prepared to overcome a catastrophic event? No, we’re not...
Organizational Alignment: How to Do It and Why It’s Important for Facility Managers
Facility management entails a vast and complex scope – budget and capital planning, design and...
Facility Managers: Avoid These Nine Common Mistakes to Get the Most Value Out of Your Training Investments
I specialize in developing and implementing training programs for facilities management teams....
CODES & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
What the Joint Commission Standards Consolidation Means for Healthcare Facilities
What's new with Joint Commission standards? The Joint Commission recently unveiled Accreditation...
ASHRAE: What Does It Mean?
So you may be wondering what the abbreviation ASHRAE stands for. ASHRAE is the American Society of...
Survey Readiness: What Facility Managers Need to Know
If you manage a healthcare facility, you’ve probably heard the term survey readiness more times...
EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment is Everything.
Empowerment isn't some cute, trendy #business #opportunity. It's real life, and it's part of who I...
Hammer Time
If a hammer is the only tool that you have, then everything will start to look like a nail. Don't...
Fix the Problem, Not the Person
I recently experienced a raw connection with a teammate. She allowed herself to be vulnerable with...
LEADERSHIP
A Succession Planning Roadmap for Healthcare Facility Leaders
Not sure if your facility needs a succession planning roadmap? Let’s be honest: you can’t reduce...
Leading Up
LEADING UPWARDS 2020 has given me a clear perspective on what's important and what's not. Despite...
Unmotivated or Disconnected?
Unmotivated or disconnected? If you're not receiving the feedback that you want for your team,...
SOFT SKILLS
Unmotivated or Disconnected?
Unmotivated or disconnected? If you're not receiving the feedback that you want for your team,...
Give and Take
How do you strike the balance between your natural leadership style versus your adapted style? Is...
Hammer Time
If a hammer is the only tool that you have, then everything will start to look like a nail. Don't...